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Well said Brazil Bush, totally agree, trials are a waste of time. Its a very unfair policy and even if you hurl well in a trial game, the blinkers can be on the management. Picking the panel from the previous seasons championship is the only way basing it on the consistency of players. If i was to pick the most consistent hurlers from each club id go with the following.

Birr: Dylan Hayden, Gary Hanniffy.
Belmont: David Kenny, Alan Egan
Coolderry: Brian Carroll, Damien Murray
Clareen: Joe Bergin
Drumcullen: Nick Lawlor, Conor Gath
Lusmagh: Damien Moran
Shamrocks: James Conway
Shinrone: Michael Cordial
K/K: Peter Healion
Tullamore: Brendan Dagg, Shane Dooley,
St. Rynaghs: Cathal Horan, Ger Scales
Kinnitty: James Dempsey
Brosna Gaels: Des Egan
Drumcullen: Nick Lawlor, Conor Gath

I have left out players like James Rigney because he was roasted by Barry Teehan this year and gave away quiet a number of scores against direct opponents. Thats not to say I wouldnt have him on the panel. The above is based on their form in the championship as a whole only and who would be very much entitled to be on the panel if it was based purely on that. Some clubs have only one representative and thats because they had no other consistent performers to note.

I agree that trial games are a poor way to properly judge players. I've talked to a few frustrated players who were dismayed that essentially they were being judged on how they did on the 2 or 3 occasions the ball was passed to them.

It can lead to bias towards players who come from established families or clubs. Before a ball is even pucked, these players will have registered in the subconscious minds of the selectors. It is human nature that we look out for the traits that we expect to see in people. - 'Jaysus, he hit that ball like his father would' or 'they were always mullockers in that club and I'd be surprised if this fella is any different'.

Also its very damning of a small county like Offaly that what is player does for his club is apparently missed by the radars.

The management really need to start looking at intermediate and junior level too if you ask me, there are some very neat hurlers that dont get noticed at these levels and judging from the games ive seen this year i the county theres not a whole lot of difference in the standard of hurling between senior and junior.

You're right BB, Quinlan DID line out against Tullamore. I don't know why I got it into my head that he didn't. Neil Rogers was the back who lost out when Rory Hanniffy was placed at centre-back for birr's match against Tullamore.

I wouldn't agree that Cordial "hurled all his opponents up a stick" though. Cordial get on alot of ball alright when i ssaw him against Colderry and Belmont, but his showboating, insistence on swivelling onto his right side to 'screw' the ball, slowed down the delivery. It may have been eye-catching but I wasn't fooled. With a relatively small forward line Shinrone needed a quick ball and MC didn't provide that. Also, his walking crossfield to take frees when Shinrone needed momentum against Coolderry didn't square with his running across to take frees when the match was well gone from them.

I agree with you on the futility of assessing hurlers on winter trials. Fact is, no-one should be hurling at this time of year. Every new Limerick hurling manager starts by having winter trials of about a hundred players. That might be part of their problems.

Bazil Brush wrote:In fairness Mark Quinlan was a regular for birr this year and hurled top class one of there best performers he can definatley feel hard done by, the same could be said for Diggy Cordial he hurled all his opponents up a stick this year gave some serious displays, Picking new players from trials on a shitty pitch in november is crazy anyway. the manager and selectors had enough matches to view these players in august and september in the heat of championship battle,

Plain of the Herbs wrote: but his showboating, insistence on swivelling onto his right side to 'screw' the ball, slowed down the delivery. It may have been eye-catching but I wasn't fooled.

.

This current Offaly setup needs a bit of swagger in my opinion. I'd be starting Cordial, he's a throwback to the 90's style Offaly hurler who lived on his wits and stickwork.

Doesn't matter who comes in. They won't make a difference. I blame the county bord for not putting in proper structures in over the past decade. Also a lot of Offaly supporters constantly give out out about their own players which doesn't help. The players need more support.

Tipperary folk wouldn't do that, would they? Would they?

tipptopper25 wrote:Also a lot of Offaly supporters constantly give out out about their own players which doesn't help. The players need more support.

Maybe cordial does showboat a bit but thats the kind of fella he is, over looking that hes a very good hurler and in my opinion easily good enough for the senior panel.another fella i forgot is cathal horan diarmuids brother he hurled very well all year at both center and wing back.he was on the panel a few years back hurled well in a few league games but picked up serious knee injuries, he seems to be over them now and would definatley be an addition on the panel.thought sean coughlan hurled well this year also its only his first year out of minor so times on his side, one for the future i reckon

yes agree with you on Cathal Horan theres plenty of hurling in him, he was on the panel a few year's ago and Joe played him
centre forward which was wrong Sean Coughlan will be one to watch in the next few year's.

There are definitely some good players mentioned above that are not part of the panel, but would all of them be willing to commit to the panel?

I definately say the players mentioned above would all make themselves available,

Any word on who the captain is?

One of either Franks, Hanniffy or Kenny would be my choice.

Its not known yet GDFTP wont be announced till the new year. Have to agree id be picking from one of the those 3 lads aswell. If i was to choose one i think it would be rory hanniffy ,It will be interesting to see who they come up with.

I think that the panels can sometimes be based soley on good club championship performances. For Example I seen James Rigney a number of times for both Club and County in the last year. For the county I thought he was probably our best and most consistent performer, a player that really held his own in all our intercounty games. Then I seen him for his club and I wouldnt have thought it was the same player.

Club Hurling and Intercounty Hurling are two different kettles of fish! At intercounty level our forwards dont compete, we focus too much on the stylish rather than the solid. For Example many of you have stated Kevin Connolly being in the frame for the county, whilst he is my own club man id like to see him do well, I think he is far too small for intercounty especially at the stage he is at currently.

I feel we need to start picking 25-28 year olds rather than 18-21 year olds for the panel, the likes of Diggy Cordial who if he has the right attitude can really give a boost to the team, in the same way that Rigney & Dooley did last year. And there are plenty about that havent got a real crack of the whip with offaly but have been dependable at club level for years. We need to pick more consistent hurlers for the county, not a player that scores ten points one day and nothing the next (and I include my own clubs hurlers in this).

backofthenet wrote:I think that the panels can sometimes be based soley on good club championship performances. For Example I seen James Rigney a number of times for both Club and County in the last year. For the county I thought he was probably our best and most consistent performer, a player that really held his own in all our intercounty games. Then I seen him for his club and I wouldnt have thought it was the same player.

Club Hurling and Intercounty Hurling are two different kettles of fish! At intercounty level our forwards dont compete, we focus too much on the stylish rather than the solid. For Example many of you have stated Kevin Connolly being in the frame for the county, whilst he is my own club man id like to see him do well, I think he is far too small for intercounty especially at the stage he is at currently.

I feel we need to start picking 25-28 year olds rather than 18-21 year olds for the panel, the likes of Diggy Cordial who if he has the right attitude can really give a boost to the team, in the same way that Rigney & Dooley did last year. And there are plenty about that havent got a real crack of the whip with offaly but have been dependable at club level for years. We need to pick more consistent hurlers for the county, not a player that scores ten points one day and nothing the next (and I include my own clubs hurlers in this).

I would agree with ya backofthenet i feel they are bringing lads in too soon and the lads who are 25+ are being forgotten about and would still have a lot to offer, plus size is important. I think picking the lads too early hampers the u21's preparation and it would be better if the lads were left off to hurl u21 have a good run in that championship and then play senior after unless their an exceptional talents.